Stonebridge Ranch News March 2024

This month’s magazine will focus on annual meeting reminders and candidate questionnaires. The meeting is scheduled for March 21, 2024, at Crosspoint Church from 6:30-9:00 PM. McKinney City Manager Paul Grimes will also be presenting an update on what is going on in the city. I hope you will make plans to attend.

There will be no election for Board members again this year. There were two seats up for election and only two candidates applied, Jon Dell’Antonia and Nathan de Guia. Both will be appointed to the Board at the Organizational meeting.

A brief update on the West Grove Development at Custer and Highway 380. If you have driven by recently, you have seen the Whole Foods building and retail spaces on both sides of that building. The anticipated opening date is January of 2025. The Chick-fil-A store is completed and should be open by the time you read this newsletter. Apartment construction is anticipated to begin late in 2024.

Board Meeting, January 25, 2024

The Board meeting was called to order at 12:30 PM by President Dell’Antonia. All Board members were present. Attending were our Executive Director, Executive Administrator, Director of Compliance, Financial Manager, Lifestyle Director, Communications Director, Vice President of Onsite Management for Grand Manors, The Vice President of Financial Management for Grand Manors and the Association’s Attorney. Three homeowners attended the meeting, two by Zoom and our new Board member, Nathan de Guia who will join the Board in March.

Consent Agenda

Approved the December 14, 2023 BOD meeting minutes. We also reviewed and approved our Handling Media Inquiries Guideline, Firearms Policy, Whistleblower Policy, Board authority to override guidelines, Committee Service Guideline, and Nominating Committee Guideline. We also ratified the contract with the Power Group to handle media matters.

Old Business

We reviewed and approved changes to the Payment Plan Methods of Payment including the acceptance of

credit cards at the office. We

also approved the revised Strategic Plan.

With some minor changes, the Board reviewed and approved the 2024 Strategic Plan which will be available on our web site in the near future.

New Business

We approved the resolution from the Nominating Committee to appoint the only two candidates (Jon Dell’Antonia and Nathan de Guia) who applied for the two open Board seats to the Board effective at the annual meeting.

We discussed a resolution to establish term limits for Board members. The resolution did not pass.

We also discussed the formation of a leadership forum to identify and provide training in Association governance and operations to prepare interested homeowners for future service on the Board of Directors.

Association Reports

Our Financial Manager reviewed the December Financial Reports: Balance Sheet, Revenue and Expenses of the Operating Fund, Restricted and Non Restricted Investment Schedule, Summary of Accounts Receivable, Bad Debt Expense Reserve, and the Investment Performance Report.

Executive Session

We reviewed and approved the Foreclosure report.

We accepted the Variance Report, Payment Plan Status Report, Collections Committee Reports, Appeals Committee Decisions, Violations Report, and the Project Report.

We discussed refining our collection process for outstanding fines.

We approved funding for monument refurbishing and repair.

Our new Landscape Consultant Dr. R.E. Moon and Associates have started their work with our association providing monthly landscape inspections and newsletter articles related to L&G care.

The meeting adjourned at 5:54 PM.

Jon Dell’Antonia President, Board of Directors

TONEBRIDGE R ANCH

OMMUNITY A SSOCIATION ,

I NC.

6201 Virginia Parkway, McKinney, TX 75071

Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM

Ph: (214) 733-5800

website: www.StonebridgeRanch.com

Courtesy Patrol: (214) 794-4945

ONTRIBUTORS T O T HIS I SSUE

Amanda Batson, Connie Baxter, Norm Counts, Scott Finley, Shannon Moyano, Mathew Roebuck

OARD O F D IRECTORS

President Jon Dell’Antonia

Vice President Amanda Batson

Secretary Joe Closs

Treasurer Norm Counts

Director Jim Buerkle

Director Jim Norton

Director Kristen Vartian

SRCA S TAFF

Executive Administrator Lee-Yen Elliott

Administrative Assistant Jennifer Loyd

Communications Director Scott Finley

Financial Manager Lucy Duray

Lifestyle Director Connie Baxter

Landscape & Grounds Director Mathew Roebuck

Maintenance Supervisor Eric Ortega

Maintenance Technician Alastair Doherty

Maintenance Technician Lyle Noland

Pool Maintenance Technician Micah Reed

Porter Genri Barrientos

Porter Guillermo Barrientos

Compliance & ARC Director Eric Adams

Compliance Inspector Elizabeth Berglund

Compliance Inspector Amy Dearden

Compliance Inspector Robin Kuhar

Modification Coordinator Amy McAllister

P UBLISHER

To place an advertisement, please contact:

Community Matters, Inc., PO Box 5900, Frisco, TX 75035

Ph: (972) 370-1778 | website: www.communitymattersinc.com

Stonebridge Ranch News is the only authorized publication of the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association, Inc. It is published on behalf of residents for informational purposes only. The Association does not guarantee any work or claims made by advertisers herein and claims no responsibility or liability for statements made in the publication. The Association does not support or take responsibility for services, whether paid or volunteer, mentioned herein, nor for statements published in articles or letters herein which are not endorsed by group decision of the Board of Directors.

2024 Annual Meeting

The Stonebridge Ranch Community Association (SRCA) will host its Annual Membership Meeting (Annual Meeting) on Thursday, March 21, 2024, 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Crosspoint Church at 2101 S. Stonebridge Drive in McKinney. McKinney City Manager and Stonebridge Ranch resident Paul Grimes will be a speaker at the Annual Membership Meeting.

The SRCA Organizational Meeting will be held March 28, 2024, 12:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Association office at 6201 Virginia Parkway in McKinney.

As stated in the February issue of the Stonebridge Ranch News , the Annual Meeting is the most important of all SRCA-hosted events during the year. Here’s why:

• It is a legal proceeding required by SRCA bylaws. Aspects of the meeting (such as achieving a quorum) are guided by Texas State Law. (Texas State Property Code, Title 11, Chapter 209.)

• A quorum of the SRCA membership is required for the Annual Meeting to be conducted. According to our Bylaws, quorum is required with each household

recognized once. In the official notice of the Annual Meeting, details of the quorum participation options will be provided. See the article on quorum elsewhere in this issue.

• Association accomplishments from 2023 will be presented by SRCA board members.

• And, last but not least, two lucky homeowners who attend in person or participate in helping to establish quorum before the meeting -- will win their 2025 annual assessment! All homeowners who participate (one per household) will have their names put into the drawing for the prize. See Prize Restriction details below.*

Homeowner participation is key to Annual Meeting success!

*PRIZE RESTRICTIONS:

Election or appointment of directors is guided by SRCA governing documents including the First Amendment to Sixth Amended and Restated SRCA Bylaws which can be found at https://stonebridgeranch.com/wp-content/ uploads/2021/10/003_First-Amendment-to-the-SixthBylaw_POSTED.pdf on the Governing Documents page at www.StonebridgeRanch.com.

So – mark your calendar for March 21, 6:30 p.m. For those who cannot attend in person, the Association will provide a live stream of the event. Livestream event details can be found in the weekly Friday Flash, on our website, or on our official Facebook page.

Quorum for the 2024 Annual Meeting (March 21, 2024) must be achieved for both drawings to occur. The prizes will be awarded equal to a winner’s 2025 annual assessment rate for their lot. The prizes are awarded as an account credit against 2025 dues. (There is no cash value or alternate redemption.) In the event a winning owner moves out of the association prior to paying their 2025 annual assessment, the prize will be forfeited. There will be two winners chosen at random from among all homeowners who help SRCA achieve quorum via online participation, absentee ballot, proxy option, or attendance at the March 21, 2024, Annual Meeting. Only one winner per household per year. The winners will be announced on the Stonebridge Ranch website by 3 p.m. on Friday, March 22, 2024, and staff will privately notify each homeowner who is a winner. ◀

Establishing Quorum

Quorum must be met for the Annual Meeting to be conducted. How can you participate in helping to establish quorum? Participate using at least one of the following three options:

1. Online Quorum Participation. Use the online service to declare your meeting attendance plans or designate your proxy; be sure your email address is accurate on the CiraNet resident portal. Quorum participation will be available via a secure third-party website from 8:00am CST on Thursday, February 22 through 5:00 PM CST on Wednesday, March 20. Members who have provided an email address in their private online account at www.Ciranet.com/ residentportal will automatically receive an encrypted link via email to enter the voting site The sender of this email will be

not receive the encrypted link by email from stonebridgeranch@ivotehoa.com, you can still participate online. Go to https:// stonebridgeranch.ivotehoa.com/register and follow the registration instructions. To access the quorum participation site, you will need your account number (found on statement or resident portal). Your account number is your online registration number.

2. Absentee Ballot or Proxy Quorum Participation. Use the Absentee Quorum Participation form (paper) to declare your membership meeting attendance or designate your proxy for the meeting. You may use it to assign your proxy to the Board or to another SRCA member of your choice. This Absentee Proxy Form is also available at the SRCA office (6201 Virginia

you may submit it via the mail slot on the bottom left side of the front door. We must receive it at the office by 12:00 PM the day of the meeting, or you can drop it off at Crosspoint Church on Thursday, March 21, 2024, between 6:00 and 6:30 pm.

3. In-Person Quorum Participation. Attend the Annual Meeting in Person. To enter the event and establish your quorum participation, you must present a valid photo ID (Stonebridge Ranch ID or driver’s license with your property address). Even if you plan to attend the meeting in person, we highly recommend that you establish your quorum participation early using one of the above options. This will ensure that

we reach our required quorum, and it will reduce wait time and contact points with other people when you sign in. Please come early so we can start on time.

Again, the meeting time is:

DATE: Thursday, March 21, 2024

TIME: Check-in from 6:00-6:30 PM, meeting from 6:30-9:00 PM

LOCATION: Crosspoint Church, 2101 S. Stonebridge Dr., McKinney, TX 75072

Each of these quorum participation options allows participants to be eligible in the prize drawing for the 2025 assessment. And remember, your participation is critical to achieve quorum! ◀

Get to Know Your Candidates

This year, there are two director positions open with each having a term of three years. At the close of the call for director applications, there were two homeowners, Jon Dell’Antonia and Nathan de Guia, who had submitted the required candidate materials. Since the number of candidates equals the number of positions to be filled this year, the Board of Directors, per SRCA bylaws, will vote to accept these two candidates. That vote will occur at the annual Membership meeting on March 21, 2024.

JON

DELL’ANTONIA

Introduce yourself. Include your background (business, volunteer, or other experience), the number of years you have been a Stonebridge Ranch resident, etc.

I have been a resident of Stonebridge Ranch for 15 years and currently serve as President of the Board, a position I have held the past thirteen years. I also serve on the McKinney Airport TERZ Board 2. I previously served on the Visit McKinney Board, Main Street and the Community Development Committee Board and was the Chair of the Finance Committee for the 2017 City Bond Election.

Prior to moving to McKinney in 2008 from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, I was heavily involved in that

community for the 18 years that I lived there. My community experience in Oshkosh was extensive. I served 10 years on the City Council including two years as Mayor and on a variety of City Boards and Commissions.

I retired from OshKosh B'Gosh, Inc. where I was Vice President of Information Technology and a member of the Executive Committee of the company for 16 years. Prior to that, I was Vice President of Information Technology for the Coleman Company. I have a BS in Business Administration and am a U.S. Army veteran.

To which area(s) do you feel you could make the greatest contribution? Why?

I can make the greatest contribution by continuing in my role as Board President by providing leadership and guidance to the Board. I have been very effective in this role for the past thirteen years and would like to continue this leadership. My experience as the longest serving Board member contributes to the Board by

providing continuity and effective management. I have also been leading the efforts to mitigate the impact of the TxDOT chosen 380 route on Stonebridge Ranch and plan to continue my efforts working with TxDOT and the City. Because of my past governmental experience, I have excellent relationships with city officials which are very valuable to our Association.

What are your reasons for wishing to volunteer your service on the SRCA Board of Directors?

I enjoy serving on the Board and feel like I make a difference in the operation of SRCA. I have the time and interest to do it. It requires dedication to serve and I believe I have demonstrated that. The greatest contribution I can make is by continuing in my role as Board President by providing leadership and guidance to the Board. I have been very effective in this role for thirteen years and would like to continue this leadership.

What volunteer activities have you been involved in with SRCA and/or not-for-profit or non-profit associations?

I currently serve on the McKinney Airport TERZ Board 2. I previously served on the Visit McKinney Board, Main Street Board and the Community Development Committee Board and was the Chair of the Finance Committee for the2017 City Bond Election. I am also a member of the Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee.

Do you have a potential conflict of interest and/ or time in either your current professional or another volunteer role that could affect your capacity to serve on the Board?

No.

What challenges or opportunities do you believe SRCA is currently facing? What challenges or opportunities do you anticipate SRCA confronting in the future?

We need to continue our efforts to keep SBR a premier community by finding and retaining committed volunteers for Board and Committee positions who want to make SBR better. Replacing the Beach Club pool is the most

pressing issue for the Association. Continuing integrating the new management company in Associations operations is an ongoing process. In my role as President, I meet with the Executive Director weekly to discuss operations of the Association. Managing the budget for the Association is becoming more difficult because of the age of our community and inflation.

Experiences

and Attributes for SRCA Board Success – In addition to answering the questions above, please describe your work and background in the areas and attributes listed below. Applicants are not required to have experience in every area to be considered.

- Board or Committee Experience

- Executive/Leadership Experience

- Critical, strategic, and innovative thinking

- Knowledge of/experience with:

i) Homeowner or property owner associations organization

ii) Organization of annual budgets greater than $1M

iii) Not-for-profit organizations, legal duties of a board, and/or management

Knowledge of SRCA and its governing documents.

Willingness and ability to serve as a director and perform all tasks required of the role.

I have been a resident of Stonebridge Ranch for 15 years and currently serve as President of the Board, a position I have held the past thirteen years. My experience as the longest serving Board member contributes to the Board by providing continuity and effective management. Because of my long service on the Board, I am very familiar with all of its Guidelines and processes and the annual budgeting process. I enjoy my service on the Board and would like to continue serving. I believe the most significant accomplishment in my tenure on the Board is the establishment of an annual Strategic Planning session which I initiated ten years ago. We review and update it annually which provides a roadmap of our activities for the coming year. I also have excellent contacts with city officials which are very valuable to our Association.

NATHAN DE GUIA

Introduce yourself. Include your background (business, volunteer, or other experience), the number of years you have been a Stonebridge Ranch resident, etc.

I recognize the role of a Stonebridge Ranch Director is not easy. Volunteering for the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association on the amenities committee in recent years has taught me that a community of our size and maturity has complex operations requiring many professional and volunteer participants to function. Every team member contributes their skillsets to preserve Stonebridge Ranch as the premier community in North Texas. I submit my experiences and my family's community service for you to deem my qualifications.

Sheri my wife and I soon after getting married, contracted and built our modest house in live Oak Village of Stonebridge Ranch in 2002. We reside there still, now with our elementary school aged daughter Juliette and our rescued dachshund mix Sadie. Over the decades we experienced McKinney and Stonebridge Ranch grow into the desirable community it now claims.

Sheri and I graduated from Texas Tech University, Rawls College of Business both with Dual Bachelors of Business Administration in Management Information Systems and General Business. At Texas Tech, I served as President of the Texas Tech student chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) and under my administration, Texas Tech grew into the largest chapter in world. I was also on the Rawls College of Business Leadership Council and initiated into the Kappa Upsilon Chi Christian Fraternity.

After graduation, for 9 years I continued leadership for AITP as Dallas Student Chapter Coordinator and Regional Student Chapter Coordinator overseeing seven states in the South-Central US. In these roles I mentored and maintained relationships between student chapters, professional chapters, and the national organization.

In that same period, I served as Advisory Board Council member to the Information Systems

academic programs at Texas Tech University, the University of Oklahoma, Texas State University, and New Mexico State University. I had accountability to advise universities on course curriculum development to best prepare students for a career in information technology.

For 6 years my wife and I operated and played for one of the largest not for profit adult soccer clubs in North Texas, fielding eight teams in women's, men's, and co-ed, indoor and outdoor soccer leagues. During this time, I was a member of the North Texas Women's Soccer Association (NTWSA) as coach for our premier women's outdoor team where we achieved a division championship and a tournament final. Sheri served on the NTWSA Board of Directors leading the association's 3,000 members.

I have been employed for over 20 years by a Richardson, Texas based financial services software company as Software Development Lead, Product Manager, Human Resources, and Technical Support Lead. My current role is Customer Success Manager where I supervise annual revenue of over $1 million for maintenance and support services by ensuring 300+ financial institutions achieve their goals using our financial fraud detection solutions. My competencies include production support escalation, vendor assessments, professional services statements of work, and contract negotiations. Sheri is employed as a Senior Technical Support Manager for another financial services software company.

What volunteer activities have you been involved in with SRCA and/or not-for-profit or nonprofit associations?

I am Vice-Chair of the Stonebridge Ranch Amenities Committee where I have volunteered since 2019. The committee’s objective is to advise the Board of Directors in oversight and upkeep of community amenities. Last year I created a Goggle presence for our park amenities to drive awareness, and to date has received over 1.5 million views.

I am team leader for the McKinney Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). CERT is a nationwide network of volunteer disaster response teams under FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, deployed to support first responders in community emergencies.

We receive training from the McKinney Office of Emergency Management and the McKinney Fire Department in disaster emergency preparedness and response, search and rescue, and mass casualty triage. This year, I was Deputy Commander of the Disaster Simulation Training exercise executed jointly between the cities of McKinney and Allen and involved 200 participants. I am also CPR first aid certified and hold FEMA incident management certifications.

At our church First McKinney, my family serves with the Children's Ministry. I lead the safety and security team in close cooperation with local law enforcement. My team is accountable to overwatch and safeguard the children, families, volunteers, and church staff. This year I implemented best practice procedures and guidelines for response to various safety threat scenarios and prompted active shooter training for all volunteers. Sheri with Juliette's help, care for and teach pre-Kindergarten children on Sundays.

My wife is President of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at our daughter's elementary school in Stonebridge Ranch. She also serves as Vice-President of the McKinney ISO Council of PTAs representing the district at the state level and providing leadership assistance to PTAs

within the McKinney Independent School District (MISD). Sheri also served on MISD bond election committees.

Juliette is active in martial arts and a member of the Lifetime DFW Swim Team. As a family we frequently volunteer with Emmanuel Labor Ministry in cooperation with the Salvation Army to provide support, meals, and temporary shelter for McKinney's homeless in need.

Summary

My family's service to our community express how much we love calling McKinney and Stonebridge Ranch home. We appreciate how Stonebridge Ranch has enhanced our standard of living, which prompted me to become active in the association. While I never planned intentions to serve on our Board of Directors, several of my colleagues in the association leadership have asked me to consider it believing I can help fulfill and maintain the high standards set. Therefore, if our association of homeowners calls me to serve, I must dutifully answer to help our community transition to sustainability. If not selected, I will to the best of my ability continue to contribute to our community. I humbly seek your support so I can earn your confidence. ◀

Landscape & Grounds: 2023 Review and 2024 Plans, Part Two

Last month we talked about some of the projects completed in 2023 by the Landscape and Grounds department. This month, we’ll look at some of the ways we’re focusing on water conservation while keeping the SRCA landscape colorful and pleasing to the eye. In 2023, the following areas were identified to strengthen our conservation approach:

• Develop and build tolerance levels more precisely on landscape irrigation demand.

• Use drought-tolerant and Texas native plant materials.

• Address fundamentals of seasonal color beds: sizes, placement, plant selection, and irrigation.

With assistance from the Landscape and Grounds Director, implementation of irrigation water management will now have a scientific approach based off evapotranspiration rates of the landscaping. These values will better assess what the landscape needs to thrive or survive with climate and weather patterns.

The Association also installed six new modern weather stations throughout the community that pull data daily to collect these values. This will help

HOA Dues at Work

us better understand how forecasted budgets built by evapotranspiration and weather stack up against actual data collected throughout the community. We will have SRCA-specific data to determine impacts on our water consumption while keeping the landscaping adequately watered but not overwatered. The new weather stations were installed in October 2023 and the Association is happy to share access to all residences in the community.

The landscape committee in 2023 was also urged to study and launch a plan to work on relandscaping the entire community along with our many of our monuments and seasonal color beds. To this end, the landscape committee designed a study to add plantings to monuments that reduced yearly operational costs for irrigation water and seasonal color quantities. The study included redeveloping monuments which over time have required new landscaping as sunlight and other conditions have changed. Three trial locations were installed at Wellington Point, Wren Creek, and The Cascades in October 2023. The Committee and Landscape and Grounds Director have been identifying other monuments and seasonal color beds that need improvement, additional color, modifications, reductions, and irrigation hydro-zoning. The goal is to refresh our landscape entryways making them aesthetically pleasing with a lasting plant palette tailored to our climate. This will reinforce the branding of Stonebridge Ranch.

This project is also creating a new plant palette list for our community-wide design guidelines. Simultaneously we are establishing the foundation to update the landscaping along our roadways, parks, amenities, and outlying common areas.

Starting in spring 2024, we will begin re-landscaping our community roadways. As the community has matured and shading of our landscape has caused grass areas to recede, it has produced enlarged mulch beds with no plantings and increased erosion in the community. The Association has elected to pursue a multi-year plan for reducing mulch installation community wide and reallocate those funds to landscaping improvements. For example, large expansive mulch beds will be converted to new landscaping that will reduce our annual mulch costs, add plantings, replace winter storm damage and droughtstressed lost plants, increase turf areas, and improve erosion with vegetation or covering. During the 2023 fall and winter, the main boulevards of Stonebridge Drive and Lake Forest Drive were selected as the starting point and we hope to take this to parks and interior village common areas.

In the summer of 2023, a new grass variety was introduced to the community called Texas Bluegrass. This species of grass was developed by Texas A&M by hybridizing Kentucky Bluegrass (also known as Kentucky 31) and Texas Native Bluegrass. Texas Bluegrass has been found to be more drought-tolerant and require less irrigation than the Tall Fescue Species and is able to handle more heat and sunlight. It has been successful both in the Panhandle and Central Texas. In September, a trial of the grass was installed in three locations in SRCA to determine if it is an effective species of grass to introduce in the community. It was installed on Coronado Drive just northeast of the Aquatic Center, Hackberry Ridge along the Stonebridge Walking Trail located by the bridge coming off Spectrum Drive, and at Quail Creek Village along Lake Forest Drive running south of Quail Creek Drive. Once the grass has been studied and we better understand how effective it is and what value it brings to the community, it could be implemented throughout the community as a replacement for expensive mulch beds and thinning and declining shaded turf along our roadways, parks, and common areas.

Thank you, residents, for helping us keep the SRCA landscape clean and green! ◀

EVENTS March 2024

Due to print lead times, all events listed here are subject to change or You can also subscribe to other SRCA communivcation channels for

4 to 7 pm (BTC)

Junior

Junior Tennis, 4 to 7 pm (BTC))

Junior Tennnis, 4 to 7 pm (BTC)

Junior Tennis, 4 to 7 pm (BTC) Junior Tennis, 4 to

Tennis, 4 to 7 pm (BTC)

cancellation. Prior to attending any SRCA event, please check the online calendar at www.stonebridgernach.com/events/ to confirm dates, times and details. up-to-date info. These include SRCA E-News Blasts and our official SRCA Facebook Group. See www.stonebridgeranch.com/stay-connected/ for details.

WE D

TH U FR I SAT

Communications Committee Meeting, 8:30 AM (Zoom)

Veterans Club Meeting, 9:30 AM (CR)

7 pm (BTC)

Junior Tennis, 4 to 7 pm (BTC)

Committee AM (BR); Committee Meeting, 7 pm (BTC)

Committee Meeting, 7 pm (BTC)

Morning Bingo, 10:00 AM (CR)

7 pm (BTC)

Annual SRCA Membership Meeting, 6:30 PM - 9 PM (Crosspoint Church)

Junior Tennis, 4 to 7 pm (BTC)

Board Organizational Meeting, 12:00 PM (BR); SRCA Board of Directors Meeting, 12:30PM (BR)

Junior Tennis, 4 to 7 pm (BTC)

Coffee, Cars & Cycles, 8:30 AM (CR and Circle Dr); Kite and Chalk Art Festival, 9:30 AM (Upper Parking Lot)

Meet the Easter Bunny, 10 AM (CR and Circle Drive)

Junior Tennis, 4 to 7 pm (BTC)

Enjoy New Friends in the New Year at SRCA!

Stonebridge Ranch offers residents so many things to do – swimming, walking, biking, tennis, special events like Halloween Spooktacular and the holiday tree lighting – you might ask, what else is there?

Have you considered visiting one of our three popular social clubs?

Stonebridge Ranch is host to the McKinney Texas Travelers of Stonebridge, a Veterans Club, and of course a Book Club.

In past issues, we’ve looked at the Travel Club and Veterans Club. In this issue, prepare to open a book and be transported to another time and place.

Book Club

Janelle Freeman leads the Stonebridge Ranch Book Club. Managing it seemed a natural offshoot of her personal life. “I am very busy at work and with

Part 3 of 3

family. I wanted an outside activity and I decided I was already “doing the work” for a book club by listening to audiobooks. I could find an hour a month to attend this club.”

The club was organized about 7 years ago by the Social Committee.

Freeman says meetings usually start with introductions and then go around the room and see what people liked or didn’t like about the book selected for that month. “It’s fun to hear who’s our favorite or least favorite character, etc. We may talk about other books people are reading or book related events at the end. Freeman adds that “Book club members read a variety of books - books they might not have chosen for themselves.”

How do SRCA members join? “An SRCA member just needs to show up for the meeting,” says

March is here and with it the first thoughts toward spring clean-up.

Spring officially arrives Tuesday, March 19!

Here are a few tips from your Compliance Department:

• Bag all raked-out mulch and other such items for curb pickup by the City of McKinney.

• Stack cut branches and other large trash/refuse at the curb.

Freeman. “It isn’t necessary to have read the book, but they might like the meeting better if they have. If they provide an email address, we send a book club email before each meeting.”

Meetings are held at the SRCA Boardroom and via Zoom the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. for the months January - May, and September –December, with the summer off. “Meetings usually have ten people, so everyone has a chance to speak. We have a wide range of ages and backgrounds. Everyone’s opinions are respected.”

If you’d like to attend the Travel Club, Veterans Club, or Book Club, see the calendar at the bottom of the first page of the Stonebridge Ranch website at www.stonebridgeranch.com. ◀

• Bulky items should fit into a space equal or less than 3.5 feet tall by 3 feet deep by 9 feet longabout three cubic yards or three standard-sized washing machines side by side.

https://www.mckinneytexas.org/503/Residential-Trash-Services#Service

us at https://stonebridgeranch.com?tenant-home-upkeep/ for added information on trash pickups and bulky trash regulations.

Think you know Stonebridge Ranch?

ink you know Stonebridge Ranch?

See if you can answer these teasers!

Question one:

When was the first home sold in Stonebridge Ranch?

a) 1989

b) 1991

c) 1990

d) 1988

Question two:

According to a 1989 homebuyer’s guide, new construction home costs ranged from:

a) $75,000 to $1 million

b) $80,000 to $250,000

c) $85,000 to $500,000

d) $80,000 to $1 million

Solutions are on page 28

St. Patrick’s Day and the Luck of the Irish

As you might imagine, St. Patrick’s Day is named after a fellow who went by the name of Patrick. (He became a saint later.) He lived in the 5th century and was a missionary and later Bishop in Ireland. Born into a well-to-do family in about 385 (in the waning years of the Roman occupation of what we now know as Great Britain) by his own testimony he was kidnapped by Irish raiders at about the age of 16 and was a slave in Gaelic Ireland for six years before escaping. He then became a priest and returned to his former captors to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. He is said to have died on March 17 in possibly the year 461. While Patrick has never been formally canonized by a Pope, he is nonetheless widely viewed as sacred and revered around the world.

Here in the United States, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations have been occurring since at least 1600

(in Spanish Florida) according to researcher Michael Franicis. For big celebrations, we usually think of Chicago (since 1843) where the Chicago River is dyed green (since 1962) and New York, (since 1762) where about 150,000 people march in a parade seen by close to two million spectators. Closer to home, Dallas has held St. Patrick’s Day parades since 1979. While Stonebridge Ranch holds no events, several do take place in McKinney.

Whether or not they attend an event, millions of people wear green-colored clothing, shamrocks, and buttons or stickers proclaiming such things as “kiss me, I’m Irish” and other phrases, all while enjoying green-dyed food and beer. In the background, Irish music can be heard coast to coast as high-stepping Irish dancers keep time.

While St. Patrick’s Day began as a religious festival, it has morphed into a celebration of all things of Irish culture. Wear your green, grab a shamrock, put on a smile, and maybe you’ll find your lucky leprechaun and pot of gold! ◀

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Both St. Patrick’s Day and Easter fall in March this year.

Elsewhere in this issue we look into the story of St. Patrick. Here, it’s time to uncover the Easter Bunny.

The bunny we know in America is a member of a family that includes the hare in Europe. Hares are larger, have longer ears, and longer hind legs than their American cousins.

These creatures were popular in medieval church art as a symbol of rebirth and resurrection.

German Lutherans had the idea of the Easter Hare acting in the same role as Santa Claus for little children in the mid 1600’s, and that folk tale jumped across the Atlantic with immigrants and took root in the United States in the 1700’s.

The Easter Bunny uses a basket (Santa uses sleigh and toy bag, of course) to distribute colored and small toys to good girls and boys. Traditionally these are hard boiled chicken eggs and the shells are then decorated either by homemade devices or any number of commercial egg-dying and decorating kits that flood the market every year at this time.

You’ll also see woven Easter baskets, plush bunny

toys, headbands with rabbit ears on them, edible egg basket “grass”, and of course you’re familiar with the egg substitutes such as chocolate eggs or bunnies and plastic eggs that snap apart to reveal small candies inside.

Our Easter celebration at Stonebridge Ranch is Saturday March 23, almost exactly between St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday March 17 and Easter on Sunday March 31st. The Stonebridge celebration will come complete with our own Easter Bunny for pictures with the kids, ride on trains, bounce houses and of course thousands and thousands of Easter eggs to hunt.

While St. Patrick’s Day and Easter are close, St. Patrick’s Day will never catch up with Easter Day, though it CAN happen on the same day as Palm Sunday. According to the Irish Post, the last time this happened was in 1940, and before that in 1799. The next time will be in the year 2399!

While the Leprechaun and the Bunny will never be teaming up, aren’t two visits better than one?

My thoughts egg-xactly!!!! ◀

LAWN ORDER

Spring is around the corner everyone. At this time the remainder of fall leaves should be cleaned up and any Live Oaks this time of the year should be about wrapped up. This is the month when some of the landscapes start coming to life. Besure to get mulch down this month before any new perennials or ground cover start emerging; it will reduce the energy spent mulching around additional plant material. If you are planning on planting new evergreen shrubs and dormant ornamentals, this month is a great time to start. I recommend waiting till April for perennials and herbaceous plants to avoid potential freezes. Here is a great link from Texas A&M on how to properly plant trees and shrubs: https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/county/smith/tips/trees/planting.html

Mathew Roebuck Landscape & Grounds Director, SRCA

March is a great month for warm season lawns to be scalped if not done already. Lowering your lawn right now is great to proactively keep the lawn green and lush before it breaks dormancy. The recommended height to reduce your lawn (depending on your grass type) is lowering it to about 1-2 inches, without scalping the soil or damaging any surrounding tree surface roots. When scalping your lawn, if you have excessive clippings be sure to bag as much of the material as possible so that you do not create more than a half inch of thatch on the soil to reduce turfgrass diseases and suffocating the lawn. Recycling some of the lawn clippings is good to provide additional organic material and nutrients, but too much can cause spring and summer diseases. March is too soon to discuss fertilizing your dormant lawn; we’ll cover that in April. Applying fertilizer to your lawn will not be as effective and can cause a disease going into spring. I also recommend using March to have your lawn equipment serviced before spring. Having sharp blades on trimmers and mowers will help you before spring rushes in. Also, simply replacing spark plugs, filters and properly disposing of stale gas in the engine’s gas tank from winter will help you as well. Having your lawn equipment running optimally will ensure you are putting a good cut on your lawn and plant material with fresh cuts instead of damaging tattered cuts.

In the community you will probably see some of these activities performed along some of our roadways, this will also include special projects such as the annual fence replacement. That project is coming soon as we will be replacing fencing along Custer Road, Autumn Ridge Village, and Quail Creek Village. In addition, this year we will be maintaining and repainting fences at Timber Crossing Village and Melton Ridge Village. For the remainder of winter to early spring, please do not be alarmed when the landscapers are pruning back the fence foundational shrubs as part of the annual plan, we have collaborated on the correct rejuvenation techniques to ensure we do not harm shrubs especially in deep shade. We encourage everyone to get engaged in the community to be a part of this project and others such as replacing older landscaping as we work to revive our community. Please come sit in at one of the many committee meetings or join a committee. The association office can also assist in guiding how to join a meeting or a committee. Requests to join the committee are on our website at https://stonebridgeranch.com/committees/.

Below you’ll see the March planting calendar provided by our new Landscape Consultant Dr. R.E. Moon + Associates. Dr. Moon also has a monthly column that is published in our weekly Friday Flash e-blast. You can see it here (digital version only):

See February Gardening by the Moon Here

M

See you next month in April!

March 2024

Social Scene

www.StonebridgeRanch.com/events/

DISCLAIMER:

Due to print lead times, all the events listed in this issue are subject to change or cancellation. Prior to attending any event hosted by the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association (SRCA), residents can check the online calendar to confirm times and check for updates.

FRIENDLY REMINDER:

In order to access SRCA events and amenities, residents need to carry a valid form of Stonebridge Ranch photo ID. SRCA homeowners on record with a valid Texas driver’s license that lists their Stonebridge Ranch address may use their driver’s license. All other household members, including permanent adult residents and children 3+ need a Stonebridge Ranch photo ID.

Veterans Club

Saturday, March 9

9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Community Room, 6201 Virginia Pkwy.

Stonebridge Ranch Veterans Club seeks to enhance communication and foster bonds among Veterans in our community. It is a great place to engage in meaningful conversations with other Veterans who understand your journey and share a common bond.

For our March meeting we have invited local recruiters for an open conversation. Join us in honoring our past, celebrating our present, and shaping our future. Together, we thrive. Please come and bring a friend!

Book Club

Monday, March 11

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

SRCA Boardroom & Zoom

6201 Virginia Parkway

For March, we will read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Selection). Dealing with loss, the main character, Tova, becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than he lets on—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova, and helps her solve the disappearance of her son in Puget Sound 30 years earlier. There are lots of copies at the McKinney Libraries.

Everyone is welcome to come discuss this book. We look forward to seeing you and discussing this book in person in the SRCA Boardroom or via Zoom.

Join us in the Boardroom or on Zoom.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82204197636?pwd=am1

UUTRobUZIek8wMUFydWNXUmU4dz09

Meeting ID: 822 0419 7636

Passcode: 323380

Dial by your location: +1 (346)248-7799

Travel Club

Tuesday, March 12

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Community Room, 6201 Virginia Pkwy.

This club meets on the second Tuesday of each month. If you are curious and enjoy experiencing new things, this is the perfect group for you. The members explore together, dine together, and even cruise together. Join the club if you’re looking for some adventure!

Morning Bingo

(Adult Only Event)

Thursday, March 14

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Doors open at 9:30 a.m.)

Community Room, 6201 Virginia Pkwy.

Start your day off right with a morning of fun and prizes! Winners of each round earn $10 gift cards, and light snacks and beverages are provided. This is an adults-only (age 21+) event. Stonebridge Ranch residents pay $3 at the door and may bring up to two non-resident guests. Guests pay $8 at the door. (We appreciate exact change and do not accept credit cards.) Seating is limited to the first 40 who sign up. RSVP by signing up through the Eventbrite link in the email blast or by contacting the management staff at (214)733-5800.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/morning-bingomarch-tickets-841790386707?aff=oddtdtcreator

Coffee, Cars & Cycles

Saturday, March 16

8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (Doors open at 8:00 a.m.)

Community Room

6201 Virginia Parkway

Residents are welcome to park their classic or fancy cars in the circle drive. We love to see motorcycles and choppers, too, but you are welcome regardless of the vehicle that you drive! This is a relaxed comeand-go event for residents only. Feel free to stop by while on your morning walk or bike ride. We will provide coffee and donuts in the Community Room until supplies run out. As part of this event, we are also hosting a Book, DVD, & CD exchange (bring one, take one).

Kite and Chalk Art Festival

Saturday, March 16

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Stonebridge Ranch Lake and Upper Parking Lot

6201 Virginia Parkway

Don’t miss the Kite & Chalk Art Festival! Bring your favorite kite and fly it over the Stonebridge Lake Dam sidewalk with other SRCA members. We would love to see hundreds of kites flying high at the event! We will have drawings every 15 minutes for some fabulous kites! SRCA will provide a DJ and colorful chalk for the kids (and adults) to decorate the parking lot. Be sure to bring your own unique kite!

Answer 1: a) 1989

Answer 2: d) $80,000 to $1 million

Stonebridge Ranch Annual Meeting

Thursday, March 21

6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Crosspoint Church

2101 South Stonebridge Drive in McKinney

The Stonebridge Ranch Community Association (SRCA) will host its Annual Membership Meeting (Annual Meeting) on Thursday, March 21, 2024, 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Crosspoint Church at 2101 S. Stonebridge Drive in McKinney. McKinney City Manager and Stonebridge Ranch resident Paul Grimes will be a speaker at the event. The SRCA Organizational Meeting will be held March 28, 2024, 12:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Association office at 6201 Virginia Parkway in McKinney.

As stated in the February issue of the Stonebridge Ranch News , the Annual Meeting is the most important of all SRCA-hosted events during the year. Here’s why:

• It is a legal proceeding required by SRCA bylaws. Aspects of the meeting (such as achieving a quorum) are guided by Texas State Law. (Texas State Property Code, Title 11, Chapter 209.)

• A quorum of the SRCA membership is required for the Annual Meeting to be conducted. According to our Bylaws, quorum is required with each household recognized once. In the official notice of the Annual Meeting, details of the quorum participation options will be provided. See the article on quorum elsewhere in this issue.

• Association accomplishments from 2023 will be presented by SRCA board members. And, last but not least, two lucky homeowners who attend in person or participate in helping to establish quorum before the meeting -- will win their 2025 annual assessment! All homeowners who participate (one per household) will have their names put into the drawing for the prize.

EVENTS next month

April 2024

Meet the Easter Bunny

Saturday, March 23

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Community Room and Circle Drive

6201 Virginia Parkway

Calling all Stonebridge Ranch kids! Bring your Easter baskets and join us for one of our favorite events of the year – a hopping good time with the Easter Bunny! Attendees will enjoy train rides, bounce houses, an obstacle course, costumed characters, free raffle drawings for stuffed animals, music, the Easter Bunny, and more! More information to follow. This event is for Stonebridge Ranch residents only. Please limit each child to a maximum of 20 eggs so that all may participate.

Due to print lead times, all events listed here are subject to change or cancellation. Prior to attending any SRCA event, check the online calendar at www.stonebridgeranch.com/ events/ to confirm dates, times and details.